Our conservation staff has just restored the neon lighting on the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Neon for the Bagley Wright Theater (1983) by Stephen Antonakos. The lighting was damaged by a storm last year that left several sections of the neon dark. Over time the weather had taken a toll on the transformers and electrical system. Staff and local vendors replaced the wiring, transformers and neon tubing just in time for the fall theater lineup.

The neon artwork’s red neon arabesques, dashed lines and right angles float across the top of the Bagley Wright Theatre. The medium plays with the stylized patterns formed from neon tubing used on the old-fashioned marquees of Broadway theaters, bringing to mind the rich tradition of the American stage.